Process for producing photographs in natural colors on paper



' No Drawing. 7

Patented Jan. 19, 1926.

UNIT-ED STATE-s 'HERMANN .mmm-n'ornrgor onossscrronnnog M PROCESS r01: rnonucine mo mas iamwv comm on To all whom it may concern} HOFER, a citizen of the German Empire, re siding at Grossschoenau, Saxony, Germany,

No. 787 .Blumenstr., have invented certain: new and useful Improvements inI'a, .Pr,ocess for Producing Photographs in Natural,- Colors on Paper, of which the following is i v feet register f,

i and P P? P191 1 3. b for there isaany-chance a specification. This'invention relates to fa process for producing photographs in natural colors on paper by transferring dissolved eblqrs onev after the other from several 7 gelatinous layersto a shect of paper provided with av receiving gelatinous layer. The/processes hitherto in use, as, for example, pinatypy',

proceed by printing the several plates. conbeing perfect only if all part prints are in in the processes hitherto in use, and a per ofpinatypy does not permit work fast enough to overcome these harmful influv fectly registered picture in natural colors is the exception rather thanthe rule. Thedifficulties connected with most processes hitherto in use and particularly with the pinaty y process are as follows:

1. T e colorsfrom the printingplatesare immediately absorbed by'the transfer paper when coming in touch with each other and usually before the outlines of: the picture are in true register. The result isthat't-he second and following part prints, are not in true register-with the preceding ones.

2. Pinatypy colors show a "tendency of "growing indistinct and merging into, one another when subjected to the influence. of water or moist air for a longerpe'riodso,

thatthe outlines disappear.- Thetechnique ence of water and moist air.

3. When thoroughly s ueezi'ngflout the water kept between the Lyers,particu1ar1y'- if the latter consist of soft gelatine or if excessive ,reliefs are formed by thepressure exerted on the gelatine soakedwith water there are easily produced a large numbers of small air -bubbles,',particiilarly at higher temperatures, which are hard to eliminate' The presence of these airbubbles, however, prevents the uniform transfer of the colors to the paper and thus a good reproduction.

' Application, fl ed ms .14}, 1925; swat-Io, 2,453,

v "ceding taining part prints in color 'on' top ofxeachv, 1: other on a gelatinized paper, the p'lrocess' register, b

' manner, ,t

it taways with all h i fl rawbacks It ;ensure's,'i "on ithe one hand, a true register ofrtheevarious part prlntsiand, on;the otherslmnd,ea perfect and int mat acbntaott betw e P Plate d sheet -,;on; the entirwstirfacem The inatlire bf 'le reainvjobtainiziga ta erthe outlines ofiprintingiplate ofthe colorsbein transferred-to the paper. can, be done i -theFfo'lloWing two-ways a 1.Al l p pictures are'eithera. 'ri-nted one ernonv one single ge atine' layer 0 aP P Q QI; [A pee'p laye print before the next part print is rred., vThe part: printtin made trans 'in the usual manner inboth processes-5 The outlinesgof the picture are brought in 1 e reg st nbeiore i kingt the platen gThe ge latine paper holding, thefirst'part print is immersed in water for amomentand: immediately taken ,out ,again, 5 whereupon the excess water on -the layer sideis removed bywadding; the pa er is then i'nadeto float on :waterwith. the ayer side 11pxt0 get its full extensionowing to soaking, while 'ca1'e must be'taken thatthe elatine-sidedoes not touch the Water. e, the paper is :thus

,fullyexpandedihe layerside is; almost dry sothat vthe' paper. cambe placedwla erfor l y r on the; dry printing; plateand't e;out-

linesof paper andplate broughttinntrue I ,shifting lf t-truerfregister has been estab l1ed, t he paper; zpictureisrheld in P iti n Jo ej dlaete i e pla e y'Iclamps etc. it [is {advisable to make allowance ifor this fastening by makingtheedge or margin of the plate wider. A

The} aper is then, if'itifaflthetfiitt is j The a rgady'itliltieiiediafiiitui .iitaace above, ,The, gelatinous layer-will thus 1' :acquire the highest gvdegr'ee, {ofiadhesion-so that Tatar-a3; as s linked 'and'j printing, continued in the: usual 0 W erle e m ist eat? 1 .Qn: :-P1'i p a e an jpaper B t elimin yvg a paper the preparatory treatment; described i brought into .contafiftwInwthiszmanner? the gelatinous layer will absorb ink without moving in the least, and it is diflicult. to

, move it on the plate. The small amount of ill water remaining between the layers can be squeezed out in the usual manner quickly and safely. As the paper in the new process sticks firmly and almost immovably to the plate, owing to adhesion, any shifting of the print as hitherto experienced is absolutely imposs'ble. The water squeezed out of the paper remains outside the gelatinous layers of print and plate and is therefore harmless. The influence of the water upon the already finished part pictures is reduced to a minimum of a few seconds so that the colors printed thereon cannot be damaged,

or otherwise influenced. Clear definition is thus maintained.

After establishing a true register of the outlines of the picture in the manner described. a sheet of dry blotting paper is placed on the printing plates, if the gelatinous layer should be excessively softened by too high temperatures or too warm water,

the plate is then kept with the sheets of paper for a period of 5-15 minutes in a cooler room. This will cause the gelatine of the printing plate to get denser and harder, while the excess water emitted will be absorbed by the blotting paper so that work can be continued in the warmer room later on.

The pinatypy and other processes employing wet paper for printing part pictures do not permit to find out before thepart paper picture blends with the printing plate whether the paper picture has the degree of expansion due to moisture required for producing a picture of exactly the same size as the plate picture, while the present invention establishes the erfect register between paper p cture an plate before their union. The paper of the print,

by adding or removing water, can thus be made to have the size necessary toproduce exactly the same size of paper part picture and plate picture even if several prints are made. It is thus possible to produce sharply defined pictures.

The other'form of the invention consists in covering the first part print, which is fixed at once and dried by means of wadding etc. with a second thin layer'of gelatino for the reception of the second part print. This dried layer thus protects the ink of the first part print against the influence of water and a contact with the printing plate of the secondpart print so that the union of the first part print with the printing plate can-take place without any danger of squashing or otherwise damaging the ink of the first part print wh le the paper is fully capable of receiving the ink from the second part plate.

Paper picture and printing plate are brought into true register before the plate is inked, as described above.

By employing this second process anyv possible harmful influence of one of the prints upon the preceding prints is perfectly eliminated. Particularly advantageous is the following method of working. After fixing and superficially drying the first part print by absorbing excess moisture by wadding, place a focussing screen in a basin with water with its dull side up, let the print float on the water above the screen until the air has removed all excess water from the gelatinous surface which is then no longer sticky and cause the print to lie smoothly on the screen by lifting the latter. Then, remove the focussing screen with the print from the water so as to permit it to run off without, however, flowing over the layer side, squeeze out the excess water contained between the focussing screen and the picture simply by placing celluloid foil on the surface of the picture and several sheets of blotting paper on top of it and projecting over it. By passing a smoothing bone over the paper from the center to the edges the water is squeezed towards the edges of the pictureand absorbed by the blotting paper projecting over the foil. The picture 18 thus pressed on the focussing screen perfectly smoothly, and the latter is now arranged perfectly horizontally, with the print up. It is then covered with a correspondingly diluted solution of printing plate gelatine in a thfn layer, while care should be taken not to let the solution run over the edges on the focussing screen, and the layer is then left for about half an hour until it is hard enough. The print can then be removed from the focussing screen and dried, preferaby by suspension.

All other manipulations are exactly like those described in connection with process 1.

When bringing the outlines of the picture in true register before inking advisable before lifting the print to ink the plate to insert a celluloid sheet etc. of ample dimensions to protect the print after it has been lifted up against ink or water splashes or other damages due to making ready.

Having described my invention for the the plate, it is a the usual manner.

alreadyapplied to the sheet against being a I a with the other parts, then the plate is inked plate until exact registerof the outlines of l 1 manner.

lmpaired, by --then.s hifting the sheet on the the sheet and plate is reached,'before there is any chance "of the color being transferred to said sheet, and by printing {afterwards in 2. The process :for producing I colored photographs on a sheet of paper bytrans-T ferring dissolved colors one after the "other from several printing plates with gelatinous layers-to a sheet of paper provided with a. a W

Y the firstiprmt in water for amoment, by

i then removingthe excesswater on thelayer side, by further placing. the paper with its 'layer -which is almost dry on the dry print-' gelatinous layer all part prints being ob tained in perfect register with eaclrother by immersing the gelatine paper holding the first print in 'water'for a moment, by then removing the excess water on' the layer] side, by further placing the paper with its layer which' i's almost dry on the dry printing late for the next print, layer onlayer, and ringing the outlines of said paper and said plate in true register by shifting,}wher' eupon the. paper picture is fixed to said printing plate on one edgeand lifted up with the other parts, then said plate is lnked and printing continued in the usual'manner.

'3. The process for producing colored photographs on a sheet of paper by transferring dissolved colors one after the other from several printing plates with gelatinous layers to a sheet of paper provided with a gelatinous layer all part prints being obtained in perfect register with each other by immersing the gelatine paper holding the first print in water for a moment, by

then removing theexcess water on the layer i side, by further placing the paper with its layer which is ahnost dry on the dry rintv a ing plate for the next print,-layer on ayer,

and bringing theoutlines of said pa r and said plate in true register by s ifting,

whereupon the paper picture is fixed to said printing plate on one edge and lifted up witlr the other parts, then the paper sheet is covered by a protecting sheet and the plate is inked and the printing continued in the usual manner.

4.'The process for producing colored photographs on a sheet of paper by transferring dissolved colors one after the other from several printing plates with gelatinous layers to a sheet of paper provided with agelatinous layer all part prints being obtained in perfect register with each other by immersing the gelatine paper holding the first print in water for a moment, by then removing the excess water on the layer side, and making it float on water with the layer side up to fully expand the paper with its layer, by then placing thepaper with its layer which is almost dry on the dry printing plate for the next print. layer on layer. and bringing the outlines of said paper and said plate in true register by shifting,- whereupon the paperpicture'is fixed to the saidiplate in trueregister by shifting,'by

"5. The process of producing colored photographs on a sheet of paper by transferring dissolved colors one after the otheit a a from severalprinting plates with gelatinous layers to a sheet of-papenprovided, with a gelatinous layer all part prints beingvobtained inperfectregister with each other byj mmers ng.;the gelatine paper holding ing plate for the next print, layer on layer, and bringing the-outlines of said paper and changingthe degree of moisture of the paper for regulating the expansion of said paper. whereupon the paperpicture is fixed to the printingplate on one edge and lifted up with the other parts, then the plate is inked and theprinting continued 111. the usual manner. 6. The process for producing colored photographsona sheet by transferring, dis-' solved colors one after'the other from several printlng plates with gelatinous layers to a sheet provided with a receiving gelatinous layer'all part prints being obtained in perfect register with each other by bringing the outlines of the printing late for-the following part print by shi ing into perfect register with those of the preceding part print on said sheet, after having covered said preceding part printwith a thin layer of gelatine for the reception of the following print, whereupon the paper picture is fixed to the printing plate on one edge and lifted up with the other parts, then the plate is inked and the printing con- 'tinued in the usual manner.

7. The process for producing colored 1 photographs on a sheet by transferring dissolved colors one after the other from several printing plates with gelatinous layers following part print by shifting in perfect register with those of the preceding part print on said sheet, after having covered said preceding part print with a thin layer of gelatine for the reception of the following print, by placing. the moist paper sheet with at least one part print thereon on the dull side of a focusing screen, the layer up, covering it with a celluloid foil and then with at least one sheet of blotting paper on top of said foil projecting over it and squeezing the excess water from the print paper 180 by pressing the sheets and foil against sald so I ving plate for the next print, layer on 8. The process for producing colored photographs on a sheet'of pa er by transferring dissolved colors one a ter the other from several printing plates with gelatinous layers to a, sheet of paper provided with a gelatinous layerall part prints being obtained in perfect register with each other by immersing the gelatine paper holding the first print in water for a moment, by then removing the excess water on the layer side, by further placing the paper with its layer which is almost dry on the dry printayer, andbringing the outlines of said paper and said plate in true register by shifting, whereupon the paper picture is fixed to said printin plate on one edge and lifted up with tie other arts, then cooling said printing plate an said paper picture fixed to each other, after which the plate is inked and the printing continued in the usual manner.

9. The process for producing colored ph tographs on a sheet of paper by trans: ifiging dissolved colors one after the other from several printing plates with gelatinous layers to a sheet of paper provided with a gelatinous layer all part prints being obtained in perfect register with each other by placing the moist paper with its layer which is almost dry on the, dry printing late for the next print, layer on-layer, and )ringing the outlinesof said paper and said plate in true register byshifting, whereupon the paper picture is fixed to said printing plate on one edge and lifted up with the other parts, a sheet of blotting paper is laid upon said printing plate and then said printing plate and said paper picture fixed to each other are cooled, after which said plate is inked and printing continued in the usual manner.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

HERMANN DIERNHOFER. 

